School
budget is approvedThe budget for the 2008-09 school year was approved at the June meeting
of the school board Monday, June 16.
In other business Chris Kaschmitter of the Prairie Booster Club appeared
before the board asking for permission to put a storage shed near the football
field house that would be used to store the concession and barbecue equipment
they use for football games. The idea also is that if the weather is bad
they would be able to serve out of it. It would be built on skids but due
to the size and the fact they would like to hook up electricity they would
need a building permit and have already looked in that.
Kaschmitter said they had received memorial funds in the names of Dan
Kaschmitter and Clark Hinkelman to the club and were looking for something
to do with that money. They would likely put up a plaque on the building
memorializing them.
Board chairman Roy Schumacher said he has no problem with it and the
suggestion was to get together with high school principal Todd Shumway
to determine the best location, noting it may need to be moved once the
renovation plans get underway for the field complex.
In regards to the field renovation, Shumway said he had talked to the
National Guard unit commander and they are set to go June 1, 2009 unless
they get called up to Iraq.
The resignation of Bruce Nuxoll was approved. There was another teacher
who had aid they were going to resign as they’ve taken another position
but since there was no resignation letter submitted, no action was taken
on that one at this time.
Kyler Shumway was approved for hire for the summer maintenance position.
He will work this summer and next year will start effective May 1.
Extracurricular assignments were approved with only a few changes from
last year. The junior and senior class advisor positions won’t be filled
until school starts. Some athletic assistant positions won’t be filled
unless there are enough players turned out.
Assingments approved are: High School: Athletic Directors: Todd
Shumway and Travis Mader; boys basketball: head coach Teel Bruner, J.V.,
Kevin Chaffee. Girls basketball head coach Steve Wilson, JV Dustin Behler.
Football head coach Mader, assistants Ryan Hasselstrom and Ron Sigler (Teel
Bruner is a volunteer assistant). Boys and girls track , Ryan Hasselstrom.
Softball head coach Mader, assistant Wilson. Volleyball head coach Vikki
Riener, JV-Marlene Forsmann, C-Denise Uhlenkott. Wrestling head coach Steve
Lamont, assistant Dan Altman. Music, band and choir-John Eynon. Yearbook-Hasselstrom.
Dance team and cheer squad-Natalie Wimer with Millie Wimer helping. Knowledge
Bowl-Laurie Karel. Industrial Technology-Jerry Richardson. BPA-Hasselstrom.
Prairie League-Cara Duman. Middle School: A.D.-Rene’ Forsmann. 8th grade
girls basketball-Steve Wilson. 7th grade girls basketball-Dustin Behler.
8th grade boys basketball-Bryan Higgins. 7th grade boys basketball-Jeff
Martin. Jr. High football-head coach Kenny Mader, assistant Paul Schmidt.
Jr. High Knowledge Bowl-Becky Higgins. Jr. High track-head coach Becky
Higgins, assistant Vikki Riener. Jr. High Volleyball-head coach Riener,
assistant Marlene Forsmann. Jr. High Wrestling-Dan Altman. Music-Youth
Choir-Laurie Karel.
Drug Free coordinator-Colleen Sonnen.
Technology coordinators-High School-Hasselstrom; Middle School-Forsmann;
Elementary School-Greg Deiss.
The board also approved the transfer of the forest funds to the plant
facilities fund.
In administrative reports Forsmann commented that the wellness competition
went very well. If they can get funding for this next year she would like
to do more with including the students.
She reported that the 8th graders spent the entire day of June 5 at
the high school, going through their actual schedule for next fall.
Shumway reported that Jerry Richardson will be receiving grant sponsored
training on Solid Works and will be participating in and Industrial/Technical
careers training program this summer.
He also reported on sports that volleyball camp is going on here, 19
football players attended an 8-man football camp at Montana Tech June 6-9
and that the open gym nights have been very well attended so far.
He also reported on the 8th graders day at the high school reporting
that not only did they follow their tentative schedules for next year but
were allowed to participate in Prairie League, student council and drug
free club meetings.
He also presented some working proposals for district policy changes
(see below) and would like to set up a workshop with the board members
for theirs and possibly the community’s input. That workshop was set for
Monday, June 30 at 6:30 p.m. probably in the Elementary School cafeteria.
Superintendent/Elem. School Principal Gary Blaz gave an outline of
things he’s working on which include summer projects, professional development
planning, policy review and personnel contracts.
The board adjourned at 8:30 p.m. The next regular meeting will be Monday,
July 21 at 7 p.m. This will also be the annual meeting. A policy workshop
requested by Shumway will be Monday, June 30 at 6:30 p.m.
Policy
change proposalsPrairie High School principal Todd Shumway asked the school board at
their June meeting Monday, June 16 to set up a workshop for their input
into the following District Policy changes he is proposing.
A meeting was set for Monday, June 30 at 6:30 p.m., likely at the Elementary
School cafeteria to discuss the proposals. This meeting will be open to
the public and their input is invited. They are also planning to invite
Cottonwood Police Chief Terry Cochran for his input and some background
information on Proposal Three.
Working Proposals for changes in District Policy:

Proposal One:Board Policy Change Request for Attendance

It is proposed that the Cottonwood School District #242 adopt a new attendance
policy which complies with Idaho Department of Education rule requiring
90% attendance and advances the opportunity for students to make-up absences
outside of regular school time to prevent the loss of credit and eliminate
the judicial process of appeals currently instituted. Proposed is the following:
1. Students and parents are notified by PHS in a form letter on their
5th and 9th absences.
2. Absences beyond the allowed 9 per semester would be made up at Saturday
school sessions held at PHS at the end of each term or as needed. Absences
that do not count against the allowed 9 are medical (as verified by a doctors
note), mandatory court appearance (as verified by court clerk), and school
activities.
3. Students would be required to pay $5 per class period needed for
absence recovery. A full day would cost $35. This money will be used to
compensate a supervisor for running the Saturday sessions.
4. Saturday school work will be provided by the regular course teachers
and work time will be supervised by a teacher or administrator.
5. Tardy policy will also be changed to include wording that
4 tardies will be counted as one absence allowing for students to attend
Saturday school instead of being suspended.
6. Students will also have the option of attending summer school in
June to recover attendance days towards credit recovery at the same cost
rate. Students and parents will be notified during the last week of the
school year as to the number of days that will need to be made up to recover
lost credits from excessive absences.
7. Student who chose to not attend either of these options after exceeding
the allowed 9 days will automatically lose credit in the course(s) and
will be required to make up the credit the following year.

Proposal Two:Failure Policy - Credit Recovery

It is proposed that the Cottonwood School District #242 adopt a new credit
recovery policy. Students who fail a required class at PHS or lose credit
due to absences will be required to take the course over on Idaho Digital
Learning Academy (IDLA) or the PLATO credit recovery courses during the
following school year at their own expense ($75). The class time to complete
the IDLA/PLA TO course would be allowed in the students' regular schedule
and would be supervised in the library. Special Education students who
have a descriptive IEP allowing for alternative grading or attendance may
be excluded as described in the IEP.

Proposal Three:Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy

It is proposed that the Cottonwood School District #242 adopt a new drug
and alcohol testing policy for our high school student athletes during
the active sport season. Proposed is that a random drawing of 10% of Prairie
High School athletes/cheerleaders/dance team members are selected each
school week to participate in a drug/alcohol test. Testing will be supervised
by the Principal and Athletic Director. Coaches may also be allowed to
supervise the testing process. Any student athlete testing positive will
be suspended according to current District #242 policy and required to
complete a drug/alcohol abuse evaluation from a licensed counselor, at
their own expense, before being allowed to return to competition. Any student
athlete who refuses to take the drug/alcohol test will be considered to
have tested positive and processed according to District policy. Student
athletes who test positive will also be reported to the Idaho County Sheriff
Dept. for citations. The tests will be purchased using Idaho Drug Free
budget funds and PHS athletic department funds.